Supercharger



Patented July 1l, 1933 UNITED STATES' PATENT lOFFICE DAVID GREGG, OFCALDWELL, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 ECLPSE AVIATION COBPO RATION, OF EASTORANGE, NEW' JERSEY, A CORPORATION Ol' NEW JERSEY SUPERC'HARGERApplication filed March 18, 1931. Serial No. 522,491.

' This invention relates to superchargers, and particularly to means forcompressing the combustible mixture to be supplied to the combustionchambers of an internal combustion engine having a two-stroke cycle.

An orbject of the invention is to provide a novel construction for asupercharger of the type adapted to be driven fromA a rotatable memberof an associated engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supercharger embodyinga-rotary valve v mechanism of novel construction adapted to be rotatedwith a driven member mounted by novel means operating to vary the volumeof the compression chamber in accordance with the variation in the angledescribed by a rotating element of said novel means.

A further object is to yprovide a supercharger in which the compressionchambers are so controlled aspto be of constantly increasing volumeduring the intake period, and of constantly decreasing volume during thedischarge period.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent frominspection of the following specifications when read with reference tothe accompanying drawing wherein is illustrated the preferred embodimentof the invention. It is to be expressly understood, however, that thedrawing is for the purpose of illustration only, and is not designed asa deinition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to theappended claims for this purpose.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 'is a transverse sectional view of a device embodying theinvention; and

`2 is a sectional elevation view taken at right angles to the viewpointand along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. v

In the drawing, the invention is shown embodied in a cylindrical casing'member 3 having oppositely disposed extensions 4 and 5, the formerconstituting an'entrance duct for the air or combustible mixture to becompressed in the casing 3 and then delivered to the intake manifoldofthe engine with which the exit passage 5 communicates. c

may be interposed between the supercharger and the engine, orbetween'the supercharger and the air intake duct, any suitable means forcarbureting the combustible mixture and otherwise conditioning thecombustion supporting air to secure maximum efficiency of combustion inthe combustion chambers of the engine, and that the location andoperation of the same is not material to the present invention whichconsists in the construction of a novel supercharger capable ofapplication and use with any suitable arrangement of such devices.

comprises the provision of a cylindrical valve member 6 of the sleeve'ortubular type having any desired number of pairs of longitudif nallyextending ports 7 and 7 a each pair being cpt in the cylindrical wallthereof at diametrically opposite locations thereon, and at angulardistances corresponding to the number. of ports, said sleeve memberbeing adapted to closely fit the-cylindrical surface of the chamber 3and be rotated relatively thereto.

b v novel means now to be described.

Such a novel supercharger construction4 It is to be understood, ofcourse, that there.

v'The novel compressing means preferably y takes the-form of a pluralityof curved blades or vanes 15 corresponding in number to the number ofports; and pivotally secured alt their outer ends to suitable pivots 9extending from the inwardlyturned ends of the member 6 and spacedequally about the periphery of said member between the successive ports7 and 7 a. ,The inner ends of the vanes 8 are preferably pivotallyconnected by pins V10 journale'd in ears 11 formed on shoes 12 whichareslidably mounted about the end portions of the circumference of thedriven drumfor rotor 14, suitable annular grooves or tracks 13 beingprovided for this purpose in the end surfaces of the rotor 14, thelatter being supported at either end thereof on bearing pins 18 securedin the supporting frame 19 eccentrically to the axis of rotation ofsleeve 6, bearings 20 being provided to facilitate rotation of themember 14 about said bearing pms. Y l

Any suitable driving means may be employed for imparting rotation tosleeve valve 6, but in the preferred form as illustrated, such drivingmeans comprises the provision of a gear 23 rotatably supported on ballbearing 24 and secured to a flanged annular end of plate 25 by suitablescrews 26 the gear 23 being also drivably secured to the sleeve 6 bymeans of said screws 26, and being inmesh with a gear 27 which is inturn rotatable with the crankshaft or other rotatable member of theassociated engine.

As shown best in Fig. 2, the casing 5 is 4divided centrally by apartition 29 whichV thereby forms two exit ducts 30 and 31, each leadingto the intake manifold or inlet port of a cylinder (or group ofcylinders firing at the same time). In the device illustrated therearefour vanes and two sets of ports,

compressing and timing the delivery of a charge for two cylinders orsets of cylinders. For a three cylinder engine, (or engine with threesets of cylinders firing together-as, for example, a six cylinder twocycle engine with opposed cylinders) there would be six vanes, and threesets of spaced ports, and three outlets.

Having thus identified the parts entering into the preferred embodimentof the invention herein illustrated, the operation will be seen to be asfollows):

On rotation` being imparted to the sleeve 6 through the intermediary ofgears 23 and 27, and driving screws 26, the combustible charge will beadmitted through each ofthe ports 7 during a portion of each revolutionof the sleeve 6, the gearing being preferably timed so that admissionoccurs as the piston is in proper position to insure properly timeddelivery of the charge to the combustion chambers of the cylinder.Following the admission of the charge through the port 7, the

,oscillating action of the vanes 15 (as their shoes 12 slide at variablespeeds along tracks 13)- compresses the charge and, after half arevolution, forces it through the port 7' into the chamber 31, fromwhich chamber it leads to the proper combustion point. Continued.

rotation of sleeve 6 eccentrically to the rotor 14 will bring the port 7a into registry with the intake passage 4, and at the same time willbring the op osite port 7a into registry with outlet chamher 30,whereupon a similarly compressedl charge will be delivered thereto.

Due to the spiral and rearwardly extend- Y ing disposition of the vanes15 relatively to `rthe direction of rotation of sleeve 6, the dithecylindrical wall thereof,

rection of the gases toward the outlet chambers is facilitated andgreater eiiciency of operation therebyl assured. Moreover, the novelconstruction of the vanes 8 whereby they are pivotally mounted at theirends to produce a constantly changing angularity with respect to therotor 14, in conjunction with the disposition of the ports 7 and 7a,operates to produce a proper timing of the compressing action withrespect to the volume of the associated chambers.

The constantly changing angularity of the vanes causes shoes 12 to moveat angular speeds which vary in accordance with the change in the angledescribed by the shoes while rotating. A corresponding variation occursin the volume of each chamber due to the disposition of the parts asabove suggested, the relation of ports to vanes being such that eachchamber is of constantly increasing volume during the entire period ofcommunication between the intake duct and the valve port for thecorresponding chamber, and is of constantly decreasing volume during theperiod of communication between the said port and the Huid dischargeduct. Thus there is obtained a perfect synchronization between volumechange and pressure change whichinsures maximum eiiciency in operation.

It will be understood,however, that various changes may be made in theform, details of construction, arrangement of parts and the uses towhich they are applied.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a tubular member, a rotatableshoe associated therewith, a vane pivotally connected at one end to saidtubular member and at the other end to said shoe, means for mountingsaid shoe for rotation about an axis eccentric to the axis of'saidtubular member, and means for rotating said shoe about 'said eccentricaxis ata non-uniform speed in response to track a tortuous sealingpassageway.

2. In a rotary compressor, a housing having a Huid entrance duct and afluid exit duct, and means for establishing periodic communicationtherebetween comprising a tubular valve member having a port formed in arotor for actuating said valve member to cause said port to registeralternately with said entrance and exit ducts, and means mounted withinsaid valve member to form a chamber in which the Yfluid entering saidvalve member through said Vport 'is compressed prior to delivery tosald'exit duct, said last named means com- Vmember having tubular memberand having an inturned flange nested with the rotor to form a tortuouspassage therebetween.

3. In a rotary compressor, a cylindrical housing having end walls, atubular valve member having closed ends rotatably mounted therein,- thevalve member, vanes pivotally connected to the valve member, said rotorhaving annular guideways in its end faces arranged adjacent the endwalls of the h ousing, shoes slidably positioned in the guideways iiushwith the end walls of both rotor and valve, and said shoes havingpivotal connections with the vanes.

4.. In a rotary compressor, a cylindrical housing having end walls, atubular valve closed ends rotatably .mounted therein, a rotoreccentrically mounted in the valve member, vanes pivotally connected .tothe valve member, said rotor having annular guideways of vL-shaped crosssection in its end faces arrangedadjacent the end walls of the housing,shoes of L-shaped cross section slidably positioned in the guidewaysflush with the end walls of both rotor and valve, and said shoes havingpivotal connections with the vanes.

5. In a rotary compressor, a cylindrical housing having end walls, atubular valve member having closed end walls rotatably mounted therein,said end walls having their inner faces in alignment, a rotoreccentrically molmted inthe valve member, vanes pivotally connected tothe valve member and to the rotor by shoes relatively movable in theirangular relation to the rotor, said shoes having a plane outer faceadapted to contact the inner end walls of both the housing and tubularmember for preventing leakage therebetween.

6. In a rotary compressor, a cylindrical housing having end walls, atubular valve member having closed end walls rotatably mounted therein,said end walls having their inner faces in alignment, va rotoreccentrical- 1y mounted in the valve member, vanes pivotally connectedto the valve member and to a rotor eccentrically mounted in the rotor byshoes relatively movable in their angular relation to the rotor, Vsaidshoes having 'a plane outer face adapted to contact the inner end wallsof both the housing and tubular member for preventing leakagetherebetween, and each of said shoes having an inwardly extending flangeslidably fitted in a corresponding annular groove in the end face of therotor.

7 In a rotary fluid compressor havin a cylindrical housing, a tubularvalve mem er rotatably mounted therein, a rotor eccenltrically mountedin the member, hinged vanes connecting the rotor and member formingtherewith sets of variable volume compartmcnt's, the connection of thevanes with the rotor including. shoes having arcuate projectionscoacting with an annular groove in the rotor end'face, said vanes beingangularly movable with respect to the rotor, an inlet for thecompressor, a plurality of outlets, conduits corresponding in number tothe number of compartment sets, and means for delivering fluid from thecompressor to the outlets selectively and in a regular recurringsequence.

8. In a rotary iuid compressor havin a cylindrical housing, a tubularvalve mem er rotatably mounted therein, a rotor eccentrically mounted inthe member, hinged vanes connecting the rotor and member .formingtherewith sets of variable volume compartments, the connection of thevanes with the rotor including shoes having arcuate projections coactingwithan annular groove `in the rotor end face, said vanes being angularlymovable with respect to the rot/0r, an inlet for the compressor, vaplurality of outlets, conduits corresponding in number to the numberofcompartment sets, means for delivering iluid from the compressor to theoutlets selectively and in a regular recurring sequence, said meanscomprising axially spaced outlets in the tubular valve member, andspaced openings inthe housing having a communication with the outletconduits and arranged to periodically coincide with the valve memberoutlets.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specication.

DAVID GREGG.

